The present disclosure relates to wireless communication apparatus and method and more particularly relates to apparatus and method for enabling a user to interact with a wireless communication apparatus while in a transportation vehicle.
Attending to telephone calls while driving has been determined to be a distraction to the driver and potentially present a problem of safety. Numerous government entities have enacted regulations that restrict drivers in the manner in which the drivers interact with the radio communication apparatus. Among the restrictions in many jurisdictions is the limitation that a driver may only use a wireless telephone device while actively driving when that telephone is operated in what is commonly known as a handsfree mode. Such a mode reduces the physical interaction with the wireless telephone device and minimizes the need for the driver to view the wireless telephone device and is deemed to be a safer way of operating a vehicle while engaged in a telephone call.
Vehicular installations have been developed to provide a speaker and microphone, separate from the wireless device, that are mounted in the passenger compartment of a vehicle. These acoustic transducers and their control mechanism implement the acoustic and control apparatus of a handsfree device. If the wireless device is a handheld telephone, additional mounting hardware may be included such that the handheld may be physically mounted in the vehicle, be supplied electrical power for operation, be coupled to an external antenna, and make electrical connections to the handsfree device.
Short-range electromagnetic communications, separate from the radio communications between the wireless device and its fixed network, has become commonplace in connecting a wireless device to acoustic transducers attached to a user's person. One often encounters a wireless telephone user wearing what is commonly called a Bluetooth headset in order to talk and listen to a wireless telephone. “Bluetooth” refers to a short-range radio communications technology used to replace the wires connecting associated devices. It is an open and proprietary IEEE 802.15 standard for exchanging data over short distances by using frequency hopping in a 2.402-2.480 GHz frequency band. A process of device pairing, basically an exchange of security keys, enables two Bluetooth devices to communicate.
Handsfree operation in a vehicle has been implemented as a visor mounted, or otherwise conveniently mounted, device that provides a short range electromagnetic coupling between the user's wireless device and the handsfree device and an optimized acoustic coupling to the user. This car kit, as it is sometimes called, employs Bluetooth or other short-range communication protocol to connect to and operate in conjunction with the wireless device. One example of such a car kit is a BlackBerry VM-605, available from Research in Motion Limited of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
The handsfree accessories for wireless telephones have helped decrease the potential safety problem of distracted drivers using a wireless device. However, there remain times when it is inconvenient or unsafe to use the wireless device in a traditional manner; for example, typing on the keypad or viewing the screen. For these instances a basic Bluetooth headset or car kit may enable handsfree calling, but other significant wireless telephone services remain inaccessible. Therefore, it is desirable that advancements in handsfree calling apparatus be made to offer additional wireless telephone services in a minimally distracting manner.